JD(U) expresses disappointment, says would have been better if our members were part of Union Cabinet

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Patna: A day after government sources disclosed nine new names, who are expected to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ministerial team on Sunday, the Janata Dal (United) said that it would have been better for Bihar's development, if the JD(U) members were also inducted in the reshuffled cabinet. 

Talking to ANI, JD(U) MP Kaushalendra Kumar said,"You never know after 15 - 30 days there might be another reshuffle and then they might take. We should be a part of the cabinet."

Two former bureaucrats, one retired diplomat and an ex-police official are among nine new faces to be inducted into the Council of Ministers tomorrow in a major revamp by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The oath ceremony of the new ministers will take place at 10.30 AM at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Former IAS officer Alphons Kannanthanam (64), who hails from Kerala, is another pick by Modi, a move seen as the BJP's efforts to expand its base in the southern state to take on the ruling Left Democratic Front led by the CPI(M). 

The other new faces to be included in the ministry are BJP MPs Ashwini Kumar Choubey (Bihar), Shiv Pratap Shukla (Uttar Pradesh), former Home Secretary Raj Kumar Singh (Bihar), former diplomat Hardeep Puri and ex-Mumbai police chief Satyapal Singh. 

Ahead of the reshuffle, six ministers resigned. Three of the BJP MPs being inducted -- Virendra Kumar (63), Anant Kumar Hegde (49) and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (49) -- are from Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan respectively where Assembly polls are due next year.

President Ram Nath Kovind will be swearing in the new ministers in the Prime Minister Modi-led government. 

(With inputs from ANI)